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Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Festival of Tables...

I hope you are all having a great week! I have tons of tablescapes to share with you today from the festival at my mother's church Saturday night. Let me add that not only do we set the table, we eat dinner there also, so the "to-do" list is twice as long--not to mention the cleaning up!

My mother wanted to use her prized Morgantown ruby "Golf Ball" glasses, so I decided to use my Mikasa "Floral Elegance" bone china and the Wallace "Louvre" sterling flatware. She also wanted a Christmas feel, so off to the woods I went to gather greenery--in freezing cold and pouring snow, I might add. Everything had to be packed, then assembled on-site.

I used the silver Roma Sl Madrid goblets from my punch bowl set to place the name tags. I took a small square of oasis and filled it with greenery. I used the photo of the guest house in snow I posted previously for the place cards. I secured them into the oasis with a toothpick tied with a red ribbon. I just had to use the doilies:-)

The damask napkins are vintage and belonged to my great grandmother. They are quite large.

We found last year that there was so much noise, it was impossible to talk across the table, so we went with a larger centerpiece. Then we found the vase was tall enough to talk around anyway. Per her request, I filled it with cranberries and loosely filled it with different varieties of greenery. When my father saw the centerpiece, he jokingly said, "Isn't that overkill??" Then I looked around and thought he might just be right!

We added the Cristal D'Arques "Longchamp" iced tea glass for the tea drinkers. I love that they have a similar ball on the stem to the Morgantown.

The "Louvre" sterling master butter spreader is one of my favorite pieces. I used the vintage Landers, Frary and Clark sterling and mother of pearl butter spreaders.

Now for some of the other tables. I used two different cameras, and the combination of bad lighting and hurried photography, gave me some mixed results! Enjoy...

This table below, ended up having some vintage Homer Laughlin china, but I did not get back to take a photo:-(

I managed to get a quick photo with my mom after setting everything up...

We really enjoyed creating the table together, although it is a lot of work. My mother's brother and his wife joined us for dinner, and we had a lovely, family evening.

As we enter this season of thanksgiving, please remember to pass along the tremendous blessings you have. For example, at our church, we used to have a Tuesday night Thanksgiving meal for church members. We have taken that and turned it into a free meal we feed to the community in need. Any leftover food is then donated to a local soup kitchen. We combine that with a coat and blanket drive as winters here get pretty cold.

There are so many opportunities to reach out in your own community. Please take those opportunities to be a blessing to someone in need:-)

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I WILL be by to visit you!! I'm hoping to get caught up on all your beautiful comments by this weekend!!

Eeeeee! I'm squealing! OK, I'm not squealing, but I would definitely have squealed if I had been there in person. This is just wonderful.

I love yours the best. Not just saying that, I do. I am crazy about so many features like the little silver goblets in the middle with the greenery and place cards. I'm SO DEFINITELY going to try to copy that for my real Christmas table. And that centerpiece is gorgeous. Love the cranberries. Yep. Stealing that too.

I couldn't pick a favorite from the others because there were so many DIFFERENT ideas.

I'm envious of your Festival of Tables. I want to do one around here.

Loved this, Anita. I had been looking forward to it, and you didn't disappoint one lick!

Hi Anita, Just in awe of your beautiful regal and elegant holiday table. You put so many unexpected elements together with such ease and class. Thank you for sharing. You and your mother look so pretty and elegant as well. The church and the work sound sound really lovely. I use paper doilies alot as well. The other tables were so creative. Many thanks.

All of the tables are just exquisite! I think yours really has the Christmas flair to it, though, especially with your beautiful centerpiece! It really is beautiful! You and your mom did a tremendous job! Bravo!

I love your table setting. It is so pretty with the greenery, silver and red. This looks like a wonderful event to attend with such a variety of table settings. I can't believe you have snow there already! We just finished 5 days of rain in the Maritimes and are enjoying sunshine once again! Pamela

Anita what a delightful event! Thanks so much for uploading so many photos so we could see lots of pretty tables! The one you and your mother set is just breathtaking! I love the pop of red the glasses add to the very elegant table. Stunning centerpiece!

Oh my goodness Anita! That was one gorgeous table setting. I had to slowly go through each photo just soaking it all in and I totally agree with Debbie that yours was by far the most lovely (not that it was a competition, but if it had been you would have won!). :-) We do a Holiday Dinner at our church as an outreach event and I have hosted several tables before and remember well how much work is involved! You guys did a fabulous job and it was so fun to see the pic of you and your mom together!Vanessa

Aren't 'Friendship Luncheons/Dinners' just the very best. From the most humble table to the most sophisticated, I know that each and every one was precious in the Lord's sight...Truly the Body of Christ in action. I love your table, and thank you for sharing this precious event. I appreciate your visit to my post. Please, come by any time. Cherry Kay

Overkill???? More like OUTDONE YOURSELF!!!!!! Anita... this is beyond stunning. This is like Hollywood glamor shot. Your table is so elegant! The other tables are beautiful, but yours is just a whole bunch of notches above the average table. Love, love, love it!!!

What a great picture of you and your mom. You are one beautiful lady on the outside and on the inside. :-)

Your table was NOT overkill, it is without a doubt BEAUTIFUL. I am going to take your ideas and run! I truly love it. Thank you for showing the lovely details of the china, silver, nametags and arrangements. Oh my, I just can't say enough.

It is so nice to see you and your mother. I always think how fun it is that you get to share your treasures. Anita, your table was my favorite! Not because I "know" you but it is just perfect! Your china has a snowy feel to it (I know, I know - not the pattern but still that is how it made me feel). I love the simple and elegant style. Combining such treasures with the treasures of nature always makes for a beautiful table. It was so much fun to see all the other tables too.

Hi Anita, Just wanted to add happy Veteran's Day to you and yours! Also purchased on sale at Mikasa round red Brava salad plates to go with Italian Countryside for holidays. Thought you and followers might be interested. Good sale for today.Again thanks for letting us see all your efforts!

Oh my goodness Anita! what a beutiful table settingThe others table are nice but your is beautiful. You and your mother are bery elegant. bery nice event.Thanks for sharing XOX Isora !!!Happy Veteran's Day for you and your Family!!!

Ok, 1st of all, let me say that the table was absolutely gorgeous! I am so stealing so many of your "special touches"...felt like a kid in a candy store saying "I want that and that and that"! Centerpiece...Overkill??...NO WAY! I am a big fan of tall centerpieces and it worked well with the table and just stunning! Beautiful Job Ladies! Thanks so much for sharing a very special event and visiting me. Andrea

There are obviously a lot of talented tablescapers in your community, but I agree with others who have pointed out that yours is the most beautiful table of them all! Love your mother's Morgantown stemware -- what a treasure it is! Your silver and those wonderful floral arrangements are gorgeous. Speaking of gorgeous, you and your mom look so pretty!

Your table is stunning, Anita, beautiful china, sparkling silver and crystal...that centerpiece is very striking, not overkill, at all.There are many very talented tablescapers in your area, all beautiful tables.

Hi Anita!and a Hello to your Mom!Oh I must agree with everyone here! Your tablescape is so lovely. It really has a wonderful Christmas spirit!Each tablesetting is beautiful... from the silver goblets filled with greenery to the mother of pearl butter spreaders. The MIkasa {I agree with Barbara above} do have a soft wintery feeling to them. The silver chargers also add such elegance to the table.All is beautiful.So many of the tablescapers went all out as well... such great seasonal touches... and really eye catching colors too!

I'm curious about what lea wrote above... the tips from December and the tree topper hint. Do you already have that post in your sidebar? So curious :o)Enjoy a wonderful weekend Anita~ Thank you for photographing this even to share with all of us !You and your mom are very special people... beautiful inside and outside ♥~Maria

WOW! What a wonderful event! I don't know all the particulars about the evening. Do the diners vote on tables? Yours really is fabulous. I love the center piece and the individual goblets decorated for the season.

Anita, your table is absolutely beautiful, with the crystal and the gorgeous china and silver! The name tags are very clever--I am definitely stealing that idea. And the centerpiece was not too much--it was beautiful. I'm sure your table was the hit of the evening. Linda

I'm back with a question. My sister can't get this blog to open anymore because it gives an oddball warning that there is a virus on it. I have no such problem when I try so I can't figure out what in the world is up.

This is one of her favorite blogs, and she's frustrated that she can't see your festival of tables.

Sorry I'm so late, but I am glad I finally got around to you this week. Oh what fun! First let me say you and your mother are both just so gorgeous! I can tell from your photo and your table you both share a beautiful sense of style. I love all the individual greenery at each setting. So lovely! I also really love the other table with the christmas tree and fruit in the middle too. They are all such beautiful tables and it must be so fun to be a part of such an event.

Hi, I just got back after traveling for three weeks. I was trying to catch up on everyone and found this beautiful post. You are so blessed to have your Mom to work with. Your table was exquisite and elegant. Thanks for the tour of all the other tables. Come by for a visit. Hugs, Ginger

Hi Anita! Just stopping by to say hello...It's been a long week for me ~ a bit of sadness with my dog passing away... but I'm finally coming out of the tears to fond memories ♥Wishing you a lovely and very Happy Thanksgiving ~Maria

ps. Just ordered 8 Brava Rooster plates from the Pfaltzgraff website! I started out at Mikasa... but the shipping was extraordinary...so I found free shipping at Pfaltzgraff. Their plates were a dollar more per plate, but that kept the overall price way down. So excited about that {just a simple thing, but for $40 including tax, I'll have a really fun tablesetting for Sunday brunches when my kids are all home. *Have a wonderful Thanksgiving week with your family*~Maria

Thank you so very much for taking the time to share all these lovely tables, Anita! So fun for those of us who don't get to do such things.

You & your Mom both look fantastic! GREAT job on the table, too. So many pretty treasures to enjoy...you are blessed to have such wonderful heirlooms.I laughed at your Dad's opinion on the centerpiece...he's soooo wrong! LOL I think it was perfect!

Oh Anita...how beautiful! You guys did a great job! The others were pretty, but I must say yours just had a punch to it...lol...it's the floral designer in me yours looked complete.I have been poppin in, but unable to leave a note. My allergies have been horrible for the past month. Mold and fungus..I've sounded like a cross between Brenda Vacaro, Darth Vadar, and Yoda. They upped my allergy pill dosage and I feel better than I have in weeks. But now we have to watch for upper resp. infection....pneumonia..hey my 50th is comin up and I really thought it was...THE CHANGE...comin I was gettin chills, felt disconnected, didn't want to do anything (not going to the antique mall is very unusual for me), I'd fall asleep sitting up..Doc laughed said it was definately not that I had a throat and sinuses full of mold, then fungus...I'm not going thru the change quite yet, but I am a little moldy.......great now I am definatley old, fat, and moldySigh.

wow i have missed a lot it is so good to see a picture of you and your Mom .Your so blessed to live around each other .And share so much fun the two of you are lovely.Your table is so so wonderful love the pines and berriesit is just stunning blessing to you and your family hugs Linda:)

Oh Anita, The tables are so gorgeous! Funny comment your Dad made! I LOVED your centerpiece and each miniature arrangement on the individual plates. It's just gorgeous! They're all pretty. Oh, those butter knives with the Mother of Pearl handles are so lovely too. Each time I come across some MOP handled flatware it's usually more than I can pay but I'm still hoping to find some, sometime.